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Facts and Traditions

Life and living in Germany, facts, figures, personalities, and entrenched traditions. From informative and useful, to fun and "Now who would have thought that?"

Father's Day in GermanyA German "Father's Day" can be a bit of a surprise. Held on Ascension Day its date changes every year, strangely dressed men pull wagons filled with alcohol, which they drink until they pass out or the wagon is empty, and the festivities have earned their reputation as an "Accident Day".

Forest Schools, Germany's WaldkindergartenWaldkindergärten, Forest Schools, nature's preschool for children. Fresh air, the natural world and exploration, replace classroom walls whatever the weather. Favorites with children and parents, waiting lists are long for this 19th century system from the man who invented the Kindergarten.

Gardening by the Moon in GermanyOften thought of as a New Age trend or old superstition Moon Gardening is science based, with evidence suggesting a connection between the sky's energy and that of earth. In Germany the system has been followed for generations with 'Moon Gardening' calendars a big hit as Christmas gifts.

German Beer, Fast FactsBeer has its own day "Tag des Deutschen Bieres", in Bavaria it is "flüssiges Brot/liquid bread", a food, and it's important not to forget to raise one thumb when ordering. Fun facts you probably don't know about German beer.

German Bread - Fast FactsGermany is a "Bread Paradise". With over 3050 registered varieties, almost all available types of grain used, from wheat, rye, barley and oats to millet, corn, rice and potato starch. While bread rolls go under so many different names in the various regions it is easier just to point.

German Inventions You Didn't Know Were GermanInvented in Germany...Many 'necessities' now found in homes across the world, coffee filters and toothpaste for example, were not created in Germany's laboratories but in the country's kitchens, attics and workshops.

Germany Facts - Life Behind the Beer and SausagesGermany, the country and its people. Richly diverse, the world's fifth largest economy and Europe's industrial powerhouse, filled with castles, medieval villages, unspoiled nature, mountain ranges, stunning scenery, culture of every variety. And a complex history.

Germany Fun FactsThere's a Chancellor Angela Merkel Barbie Doll, German affection for red Hungarian paprika means it's added to everything from potato chips and meat to sauces, in Bavaria beer is officially a food, and phone calls are answered only by the surname, never a greeting. Some fun facts.

Germany's Garden Gnomes, GartenzwergeThey disappear in the fall, re-appear with spring and spend summer protecting Germany's gardens. Garden gnomes are as much a part of Germany as Bratwurst and Fussball/soccer. Kitsch, folklore, good luck symbols, and for a protector about as far from frightening as it is possible to be.

Germany, its Neighbors and a New ImageGermany lives in peace and harmony with its neighbors in its central position at the heart of today?s European Union, but this was not always the case. A cross section of Europeans were asked what image modern Germany has in the eyes of its neighbors. There were some interesting results.

Groundhog Day, Hedgehogs and CandlemasFebruary 2nd is Groundhog Day, an annual tradition with roots which lie in a Christian festival, age old European and German superstitions about hedgehogs, the weather, and pagan celebrations bound to the cycles of nature.

HARIBO Gummi Bears, Germany's Cult Candy Gummy Bears began life in 1922, as fruit gummi Dancing Bears in a small German confectionery company; based on dancing bears and a Teddy Bear. Today they are a cult candy, and not only for children but also "grown-ups", used for couture dresses, party "Hedgehogs" and Vodka cocktails.

Munich Oktoberfest - Fast FactsAlbert Einstein worked there as an electrician, an intoxicated dachshund "came to" in Lost and Found, electricity used would give a home for four 52 years of power, and German emigrants have begun versions all over the world...but "Oktoberfest" began in Munich over 200 years ago.